Female drivers are about one to three years older than their male counterparts. (The Trucker file photo)

The Trucker News Services

3/24/2014

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Professional truck drivers are getting older and they are not staying in the business as long as they used to, according to the results of an eight-year analysis of driver age and tenure conducted by Sylectus, a business unit of Omnitracs Canada Inc.

The company released the results of the study during the annual convention of the Truckload Carriers Association under way here at the Gaylord Texan.

Using data accumulated from its TMS system, including driver-related information, Sylectus identified an increase in driver age and a decrease in tenure for both male and female drivers. These findings point to a strong need for progressive technology solutions to help fleets keep their drivers in light of significant retention issues.

Some of the key findings from the analysis include:

• The average age of male drivers went up by two years — from 46 to 48-years-old —and the average age of the females increased by three years — from 48 to 51-years-old.

• Female drivers are about one to three years older than their male counterparts.

• Post-recession, the tenure of male drivers decreased to less than two years at a carrier. Similarly, the tenure of female drivers has decreased to about one year and three months. The parallel fluctuation in tenure is due in part to husband and wife teams, in which one spouse resigns after the other.

“In its current state, the trucking industry is in need of a complete refresh of its recruitment efforts,” said Ellen Voie, CEO and founder of Women In Trucking. “It’s paramount that carriers start tailoring their recruiting materials and tactics to attract and retain more women to the trucking industry.”

The analysis also found that, on average, fleets will experience a fleet-wide turnover every 18 to 24 months. Combined with the all-time high shortage of qualified drivers, monitoring shifts in driver demographics has become essential for carriers’ recruitment and retention purposes.